The Avalanche had a 1-0 lead entering Game 2 with the Sharks and had a one-goal lead with under a minute left in Game 2. They won Game 3, and lost heartbreakers in Games 4 and 6.
How much of a difference would a healthy Milan Hejduk have made in this series, considering he missed most of the final four games? I think it might have pushed it to seven games, at least, and you never known in a Game 7.

For the pundits who think the Avs were just clearly the inferior team in the series, and that, of course, the large disparity in penalties and power plays was all because of that, it really wasn’t the case.
Yes, the Sharks were better. But I maintain forever that they got a lot of fortunate breaks in that series, not the least of which was the officiating. And some of the armchair media people who say otherwise either didn’t watch the series too well, or are just so afraid of being called a homer that they automatically overcompensate in their assessments.

The loss of Hejduk, after he ran into Paul Stastny’s shoulder in the first minute of Game 3, was the toughest break the Avs got in the postseason. He suffered a concussion and a shoulder injury, the latter of which required surgery.

Hejduk’s season was pretty good when he was in there, but injuries were again too much of the story for him. He missed a good chunk of the year with recurring knee problems, and an occasionally wonky back.

Hejduk should return this coming season, and he’s slated to make $3 million – a $1 million reduction from this year’s pay.

He’s been a top-quality, classy, dependable player here for a long time now, and I don’t see any reason why he can’t have another good year. The proviso, of course, is his health.

Hejduk still has a quick wrist shot, good enough speed and good hockey smarts. He’s a skilled, offensive player. Not a banger and grinder or Frank Selke candidate. He’s scored 20 or more goals his last 10 seasons – including one Rocket Richard Trophy.

He’ll probably have his number retired some day. I believe he’s earned that already. Yeah, it might help the cause to get over the 400-goal mark, and right now he’s at 335. At 34, I think he could play at least two more years and maybe get there, although the days of 40-50 goals might be over.

I think Hejduk is a solid player and should Adam Foote retire I think Hejduk should become captain. He has great leadership skills and I agree if he had played the whole series I think we would have won!

carmela_avs

It's hard to think of bad things to say about Hejduk, except the injuries of course. I wish he'd retire as an Avs, although I hope that's still a few years away.

Chantal Rouleau

I think it's unfair to talk about an injury riddle year for Milan Hejduk. This guy has been very reliable as far as being healthy. Not much we can criticize about Hejduk's season. When he was there, he was clearly one of our best player. His effort is always there. He is quick, smart and has a wonderful scoring touch. Now, what really concerns me is that he needed a shoulder injury and you never know with shoulder injuries ! For a scorer it can be a very detrimental surgery. I hope he stays with the team until his retirement.

Chantal Rouleau

I think it's unfair to talk about an injury riddle year for Milan Hejduk. This guy has been very reliable as far as being healthy. Not much we can criticize about Hejduk's season. When he was there, he was clearly one of our best player. His effort is always there. He is quick, smart and has a wonderful scoring touch. Now, what really concerns me is that he needed a shoulder injury and you never know with shoulder injuries ! For a scorer it can be a very detrimental surgery. I hope he stays with the team until his retirement.

Chantal Rouleau

I think it's unfair to talk about an injury riddle year for Milan Hejduk. This guy has been very reliable as far as being healthy. Not much we can criticize about Hejduk's season. When he was there, he was clearly one of our best player. His effort is always there. He is quick, smart and has a wonderful scoring touch. Now, what really concerns me is that he needed a shoulder injury and you never know with shoulder injuries ! For a scorer it can be a very detrimental surgery. I hope he stays with the team until his retirement.

Chantal Rouleau

I think it's unfair to talk about an injury riddle year for Milan Hejduk. This guy has been very reliable as far as being healthy. Not much we can criticize about Hejduk's season. When he was there, he was clearly one of our best player. His effort is always there. He is quick, smart and has a wonderful scoring touch. Now, what really concerns me is that he needed a shoulder injury and you never know with shoulder injuries ! For a scorer it can be a very detrimental surgery. I hope he stays with the team until his retirement.

Kent

Hejduk's time with the Avalanche has come and gone. Time to try and move him for a couple of draft picks or prospects. Time to let go of the past.

Kent

Hejduk's time with the Avalanche has come and gone. Time to try and move him for a couple of draft picks or prospects. Time to let go of the past.

http://www.plumber-denver-co.com Sonny B

You are right, had Hejduk played the whole season there is no doubt we would have won!!

http://www.plumber-denver-co.com Sonny B

You are right, had Hejduk played the whole season there is no doubt we would have won!!

http://www.plumber-denver-co.com Sonny B

You are right, had Hejduk played the whole season there is no doubt we would have won!!

Justin Burke

Agree with this. As much as Hejduk has been a good guy over his career with Colorado, it's time to let him go. He'd be more effective playing with a team that's going somewhere right now, and the Avs could use some good draft picks in return to continue to build for the future. He's also one of the few players the Avs have that could bring a decent return. I'd be willing to bet some team might be willing to give up at least a 2nd rounder and a decent prospect in return.

Justin Burke

Agree with this. As much as Hejduk has been a good guy over his career with Colorado, it's time to let him go. He'd be more effective playing with a team that's going somewhere right now, and the Avs could use some good draft picks in return to continue to build for the future. He's also one of the few players the Avs have that could bring a decent return. I'd be willing to bet some team might be willing to give up at least a 2nd rounder and a decent prospect in return.

pedroforsbergo

I don't see how anyone could say the Avs need to let Hejduk go. I'm all for the youth movement and believe it's the right direction for the organization. However, if they let Hejduk go who will fill that veteran role among the offensive forward group? The Avs could sign a free agent from the outside, but that makes little sense when Hejduk already knows and likes playing for the organization.Hejduk is by no means a liability. He is not Darcy Tucker. He is still an asset to the team and 44 points in 56 GP is proof positive. Keep him around as long as he's still productive and let him teach what he knows to the younger players. Let's also not forget that he's great defensively – a +6 on the year. He can also kill penalties and is hardly ever out of position in his own zone. He is also a good leader.Injuries are a concern, yes but I believe the positives outweigh the negatives with Hejduk. I also think he probably deserved a B+. He did have a rough season with injuries. At least he saw the opportunity for knee surgery mid-season was great due to the 2 week Olympic break, and he still produced offensively and defensively. As I recall, he declined playing on the Czech national team in order to rehab his knee. That speaks volumes about his commitment to the Avs and helps everyone see it's no-brainer to keep him around!

pedroforsbergo

I don't see how anyone could say the Avs need to let Hejduk go. I'm all for the youth movement and believe it's the right direction for the organization. However, if they let Hejduk go who will fill that veteran role among the offensive forward group? The Avs could sign a free agent from the outside, but that makes little sense when Hejduk already knows and likes playing for the organization.Hejduk is by no means a liability. He is not Darcy Tucker. He is still an asset to the team and 44 points in 56 GP is proof positive. Keep him around as long as he's still productive and let him teach what he knows to the younger players. Let's also not forget that he's great defensively – a +6 on the year. He can also kill penalties and is hardly ever out of position in his own zone. He is also a good leader.Injuries are a concern, yes but I believe the positives outweigh the negatives with Hejduk. I also think he probably deserved a B+. He did have a rough season with injuries. At least he saw the opportunity for knee surgery mid-season was great due to the 2 week Olympic break, and he still produced offensively and defensively. As I recall, he declined playing on the Czech national team in order to rehab his knee. That speaks volumes about his commitment to the Avs and helps everyone see it's no-brainer to keep him around!

pedroforsbergo

I don't see how anyone could say the Avs need to let Hejduk go. I'm all for the youth movement and believe it's the right direction for the organization. However, if they let Hejduk go who will fill that veteran role among the offensive forward group? The Avs could sign a free agent from the outside, but that makes little sense when Hejduk already knows and likes playing for the organization.Hejduk is by no means a liability. He is not Darcy Tucker. He is still an asset to the team and 44 points in 56 GP is proof positive. Keep him around as long as he's still productive and let him teach what he knows to the younger players. Let's also not forget that he's great defensively – a +6 on the year. He can also kill penalties and is hardly ever out of position in his own zone. He is also a good leader.Injuries are a concern, yes but I believe the positives outweigh the negatives with Hejduk. I also think he probably deserved a B+. He did have a rough season with injuries. At least he saw the opportunity for knee surgery mid-season was great due to the 2 week Olympic break, and he still produced offensively and defensively. As I recall, he declined playing on the Czech national team in order to rehab his knee. That speaks volumes about his commitment to the Avs and helps everyone see it's no-brainer to keep him around!

ryan b

I agree 100% It's absolutely silly to trade away someone so familiar with the organization at this point. He's been consistent his entire career here. For an offensive forward, I like these numbers…Hits: 30. Blocked shots: 21. Giveaways: 13. Takeaways: 32.His takeaways more than doubled his giveaways which is more than most anyone on the team can say. He's smart and quick to think with the puck. Assuming he can stay healthy and still feels up for it, I'd love to see him in an Avs uniform for at least another 3 years.

ryan b

I agree 100% It's absolutely silly to trade away someone so familiar with the organization at this point. He's been consistent his entire career here. For an offensive forward, I like these numbers…Hits: 30. Blocked shots: 21. Giveaways: 13. Takeaways: 32.His takeaways more than doubled his giveaways which is more than most anyone on the team can say. He's smart and quick to think with the puck. Assuming he can stay healthy and still feels up for it, I'd love to see him in an Avs uniform for at least another 3 years.

ryan b

I agree 100% It's absolutely silly to trade away someone so familiar with the organization at this point. He's been consistent his entire career here. For an offensive forward, I like these numbers…Hits: 30. Blocked shots: 21. Giveaways: 13. Takeaways: 32.His takeaways more than doubled his giveaways which is more than most anyone on the team can say. He's smart and quick to think with the puck. Assuming he can stay healthy and still feels up for it, I'd love to see him in an Avs uniform for at least another 3 years.

klozge

All hail the Duke!

klozge

All hail the Duke!

Smell the Glove

Nice little blog on Hejduk I guess, but I couldn't get over this part:Re the Sharks: “But I maintain forever that they got a lot of fortunate breaks in that series, not the least of which was the officiating.”The complaints about officiating never fail to get on my nerves. And I wonder if the Sharks got any bigger breaks than a gift goal off a skate blade and having the other team score a seeing-eye own goal. I'm not trying to say the Avs didn't belong in this series or anything but c'mon. This was as balanced as any other series ever played as far as breaks and calls were concerned. You win some lose some.

adrian

Sharks power play advantage in game 1 against Chicago: 5-0.

Smell the Glove

Did I misunderstand you? I thought you were talking about the Avs-Sharks series, what does the Sharks-Hawks series have to do with it?Since you brought it up, I could only listen to game 1 on the radio so I couldn't speak to any of the penalties since I didn't see them. But I don't see what a PP advantage of 5-0 means. Because Chicago was penalized more, they were owed a few calls? I know you can't be saying that but I don't see how a lopsided penalty ration is inherently unfair.

adrian

How is an opinion that the officiating was bad inherently taboo? If I thought my meal was too cold at a restaurant, would I be “biased” against that restaurant? Sometimes, officials do a bad job. Just like anybody can at any job. Oh, and I also said the Sharks were the better team. OK, Mr. Smell the Glove?

Smell the Glove

Well by all means have your opinion about the officiating, it's just an annoyance for me. I mean I'll concede that thinking it was a bad call is just thinking it's a bad call. But too often people want to blame a whole game or series on the officials, which is idiotic. So OK fine, that's not what you're doing, I don't think. More than anything I was pointing out that the Avs got plenty of breaks. Like, they won the game because of the breaks, which I felt you failed to mention. At any rate, a maybe more on topic… I agree with the B grade on Hejduk.

Brian

I hope he can play for more than a couple of years. Joey made it to 39. Hopefully Hedgie can too.

avsrback

I love the Hedjhog. He's the classic European winger who obviously has not lost his hands yet. We can't have everyone on this team under 23 guys!I remember one summer about 10 years ago I pulled into the parking lot at The Ridge. There was this guy standing in his tighty whiteys changing into his golf pants, right in middle of the parking lot, and he had plaid socks on too. He turned around and it was the Hedjhog, smiling, oblivious to all. Classic!

avsrback

I love the Hedjhog. He's the classic European winger who obviously has not lost his hands yet. We can't have everyone on this team under 23 guys!I remember one summer about 10 years ago I pulled into the parking lot at The Ridge. There was this guy standing in his tighty whiteys changing into his golf pants, right in middle of the parking lot, and he had plaid socks on too. He turned around and it was the Hedjhog, smiling, oblivious to all. Classic!

avsrback

I love the Hedjhog. He's the classic European winger who obviously has not lost his hands yet. We can't have everyone on this team under 23 guys!I remember one summer about 10 years ago I pulled into the parking lot at The Ridge. There was this guy standing in his tighty whiteys changing into his golf pants, right in middle of the parking lot, and he had plaid socks on too. He turned around and it was the Hedjhog, smiling, oblivious to all. Classic!

avsrback

I love the Hedjhog. He's the classic European winger who obviously has not lost his hands yet. We can't have everyone on this team under 23 guys!I remember one summer about 10 years ago I pulled into the parking lot at The Ridge. There was this guy standing in his tighty whiteys changing into his golf pants, right in middle of the parking lot, and he had plaid socks on too. He turned around and it was the Hedjhog, smiling, oblivious to all. Classic!

Racer X (Dan G)

1) “breaks” and “bad calls” are two different things. The Avs got some big breaks, but I don't count an excessive # of bad calls “breaks.” Still the Sarks were better than the Avs and I am happy the series went 6. Heggie in there could have meant 1 more win for the Avs in the series.2) I think we would all agree with David St. Hubbins, Mr. Smell the Glove, that there is a fine line between clever and stupid. Perhap we should trade Heggie for a 2nd rounder and with that idea in mind, change the Avs uniforms to be all black sweaters with no logo, no number or player name on the back. Would these be clever or stupid ideas?

Racer X (Dan G)

1) “breaks” and “bad calls” are two different things. The Avs got some big breaks, but I don't count an excessive # of bad calls “breaks.” Still the Sarks were better than the Avs and I am happy the series went 6. Heggie in there could have meant 1 more win for the Avs in the series.2) I think we would all agree with David St. Hubbins, Mr. Smell the Glove, that there is a fine line between clever and stupid. Perhap we should trade Heggie for a 2nd rounder and with that idea in mind, change the Avs uniforms to be all black sweaters with no logo, no number or player name on the back. Would these be clever or stupid ideas?

Smell the Glove

Just how black are we talking here?

Smell the Glove

Just how black are we talking here?

Racer X

After you see the jersey, you will ask yourself, “how much more black this jersey could be?” You will soon come to the realization that the answer to that question is, “None.”Coincidentally, if you ask yourself, how much dumber could the idea be to trade Hejduk for a 2nd rounder, you will get the same answer.

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Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.

Chambers covers college and professional hockey for The Denver Post. He has written for the Post since 1994, after dumping his first 9-to-5 office job a couple years out of college. He primarily follows the University of Denver hockey team and helps cover the Avalanche.